


Can't Spell Romance Without Roman (But You Can Spell Roman Without Romance)

by Sinsanity



Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: Angst, Aromantic Character, Aromantic Creativity | Roman "Princey" Sanders, Asexual Character, Asexual Creativity | Roman "Princey" Sanders, Gen, I Wrote This On My Phone, Oops, Roman-centric, i love how thats a tag, no beta we die like men, while at work
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-07
Updated: 2019-08-07
Packaged: 2020-08-10 23:00:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,672
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20143405
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sinsanity/pseuds/Sinsanity
Summary: Roman doesn't understand why he's unable to feel romantically attracted to anyone despite being the core of Thomas' romantic feelings.





	Can't Spell Romance Without Roman (But You Can Spell Roman Without Romance)

**Author's Note:**

> I haven't found any aroace Roman fics out there and I kind of wanted to explore the possibility a little

It had been a long time coming, really. He had been planning on bringing it up sometime around the time of the Valentine’s video, preferably before so as to avoid any discomfort, but then he just couldn’t. Because it was wrong. ** _He_ ** was wrong.

Roman sighed as he somehow flopped down on his bed gracefully. He was literally the embodiment of romance and all things lovely and yet...

He felt tears well in his eyes at the thought. Who was he if he couldn’t even love? Sure there was nothing wrong with being aromantic, but when you’re supposed to be the core of someone’s love, affection and primal desires. It was just different.

Thomas was a gay man who was clearly able to feel romantic and sexual attraction to other men. And yet…

He groaned, his hands balled into fists as he rubbed at his eyes which had begun to leak tears. It wasn’t fair because it didn’t make sense!

A knock on his door startled him from his thoughts as he sat up, pasting a bright smile on his face as he opened the door to find Logan standing on the other side. “Good evening poindexter, how may I help you on this delightful evening?” He grinned as Logan’s face blanched at his extra greeting. 

“I sincerely hope that you do possess the ability to not be so extravagant and that this is just a phase or a way of annoying me that you will eventually tire of.” A pout formed on his face as he listened to the nerdy side insult him using his textbook brain that somehow made it seem so casual despite the excessive amount of vocabulary.

“Must you be so dull and boring?” He whined, leaning against his doorway. The logical facet rolled his eyes muttering something under his breath before he straightened his tie and looked Roman in the eye once more. 

“Patton would like to call a meeting so that we may all address any concerns we might have for Thomas or anything pertaining to our host or ourselves. This may include but is not limited to, an es-” Roman slapped a hand over the other traits mouth, effectively stopping the torrent of words that would most likely never stop if nobody told him to stop. 

Roman’s way of telling him to shut up was just slightly more hands on.

He laughed sheepishly as Logan glared at him before grasping his wrist and removing it from his mouth before letting go, allowing the fantastical trait’s hand arm to drop to his side.

“Careful, someone might mistake you for Deceit if you keep covering our mouths. Next thing you know you’ll tell us you’ve been lying to us. That would be a very unfortunate discovery.” Roman failed to suppress a flinch at the thought of lying to the other sides. Not because it was an accusation, because knowing Logan, it was his way of attempting to make a joke. No, he flinched because it was true. He had been lying to all of them since he discovered he didn’t love people the way he was supposed to. He had been lying to himself even longer still. Denying the truth of his existence. Denying that he was wrong.

He forced a laugh as he waved Logan off, “How dare you accuse me of such dastardly things! Off you go peasant, leave me to my peace and I shall venture to the commons in due time!” He boasted before turning into his room, shutting the door behind him.

As soon as he heard the footsteps fade away from his section of the hall he collapsed, leaning his back against his door as he struggled to contain the sobs that wanted to burst from his chest.

He ran a hand through his hair leaving it slightly frizzy and messed up. They were holding a family meeting. This would be his chance to come clean to them, his family. The ones who had opened up to him, trusting him to accept him for who they are. 

Like Virgil. The anxious emo man who had tried so hard to be something he wasn’t and would rather be hated than risk being useless. Who always tried to do what was best for Thomas even at the expense of him or the other sides. Virgil who struggled to keep his past in the past in an attempt to be better and do better even as he was stuck in a grey area with no one there to support him.

Or Patton who shoved his feelings so far down inside himself that even he forgot he had them. Who tried his hardest to keep Thomas happy and give him the support nobody had given him. Patton who always put Thomas and his family first, even when they were all more than happy and healthy and didn't care how many times he was ignored or insulted, he just kept on giving.

And Logan. The nerdy textbook of everything who tried so hard to keep everyone on the straight and narrow so as to avoid chaos and unneeded harm to anyone and everyone. Who wanted so hard to be who he thought he was supposed to be, ignoring who he wanted to be. Logan who made mistakes and broke down in the face of is own wrongdoings and tried so hard to fix what was never broken to keep them all going, even when everyone was against him.

They had all bore their scars for everyone to see and judge as they wished. Taking a leap of faith even when they saw nowhere to land, trusting that someone would be there on the other side to catch them and keep them from falling into the darkness. 

"ROMAN!" Patton's voice rang through the mind palace as Roman jumped to his feet. It was time to face the music and own up to his mistakes.

He sunk put of his room only to rise up in the commons a moment later. "Good evening, calculator watch, father dearest and Gayday Parade!" Patton giggled, while Logan and Virgil both scowled at him, though there was definitely a hint of amusement in Virgil's eyes. 

"Already used that one Prince of Petulant, might wanna up your game." The anxious trait smirked at him with confidence even as his hands fidgeted nervously in his lap, only to be stilled as Logan reach over and laid a hand on top of them. Had Roman not seen this, he may have chalked the flush of Virgil's face up to him being nervous. His eyes widened as he glanced between the two of them with shock, because Logan and Virgil? Logic and Anxiety? Who would have guessed!

Virgil seemed to notice his stare causing his eyes to widen with panic as he tugged his hands away from his lap, stuffing them into his hoodie pockets as he once again began to fidget. Roman saw Logan flinch out of the corner of his eye at the action and winced because it must have hurt to care for someone so much and not be able to help them in their time of need for fear of making them uncomfortable. Sometimes he's glad he can't love someone so much that it hurts to be away. But even he gets upset when he is unable to care for his family.

Patton stood up, drawing three sets of eyes to him as he began to speak, "So, I know that it's been a while since all of us sat down and just took a moment to talk things out without the intention to fix something or starting an argument. WHich is why I _ pat _-itioned to have a meeting!" The fatherly side giggled at his own joke, smile growing wider upon seeing Roman laugh and Virgil's lips twitch into what could be considered a smile for him.

"Does anyone have anything they'd like to discuss?" He asked as he sat back down, looking at the other three traits hopefully. There was complete silence. "Anyone at all." He provided a metaphorical nudge. "About _ anything _." His smile began to grow slightly strained as they all waited in silence for someone to speak up.

Suddenly his shoulders slumped in defeat before he scanned the room, his eyes lighting up as they landed on Logan. "LOGAN!" He yelled, causing the logical facet to startle and almost fall off the couch. Virgil's hand left his hoodie to latch onto the other's sleeve in an attempt to keep him from falling. “What’s been on your brain, or should I say Thomas’ brain?” He grinned.

Logan stared at him with disbelief as he straightened his tie and flattened the wrinkles in his clothes. Other than the thought that it might be in my best interest to go deaf to save me from hearing such ridiculous humor, a lot. Thomas has been multitasking on everything and it has resulted in many migraines as he overtasks himself.” He cleared his throat at the end of his, rant? Speech? 

Patton stared at him in concern for a moment before tentatively speaking once again, “Kiddo-” “Once again, Patton, we are the same person-” “I know you care about Thomas, but the reason I called this meeting was so that we could talk about how we are. Not Thomas.” As he finished, Roman could practically hear the windows error noises coming from Logan as he struggled to comprehend what the emotional facet had just said. 

“But, we’re part of Thomas, therefore by taking care of Thomas’ needs, we are taking care of our own needs.” Roman winced as he said that, his thoughts spiralling as he thought of how he was so different from Thomas. That he should have the same needs and wants, but he didn’t.

“Lo, he wants to know how you’re feeling. Why don’t you tell him about the thing?” Suddenly, Logan’s face was flushed bright red as he began to stammer and stutter. Virgil reached over and grabbed his hand effectively calming the other.

Logan sighed before turning slightly to address all of them. ‘Them’ being Patton and himself. “I have recently discovered and come to terms with a certain-” he paused for a moment as though struggling to think of what he wanted to say, “-want of mine that I addressed.” He cast a glance at the anxious side before turning back to the others. “Virgil and I, have decided to take things a step further.” He opened his mouth to continue but was cut off by a squeal coming from Patton.

“YOU GUYS ARE DATING!?” Roman winced at the sheer volume and pitch of the question.

The two traits in question both stared wide-eyed at the other man before Logan began chuckling as Virgil turned redder than a blooming rose. Logan quickly cleared his throat before correcting him, “No, however we both have agreed to be queer platonic partners. Seeing as neither of us harbor romantic or sexual attraction to each other, but still feel closer than ‘just friends’, we both agreed to begin a relationship replicated by the closeness and fondness we have for each other.” By the end of his speech, Logan’s face was close to matching Virgil’s in shade as Patton just blinked at them. 

Roman tensed as he waited for the questions or accusations. “You guys are squishes?! OH THAT’S EVEN CUTER! TWO OF MY KIDDOS ARE HARDCORE SQUISHES! ROMAN, LOOK AT HOW CUTE THEY ARE!” Roman felt his jaw drop as he stared at Patton with disbelief. 

He was okay with it? Well of course he was, it’s Patton! Does that mean he would be okay with me being… But it’s different with me, because I’m romance incarnated. “Princey?” The quiet voice of his emo friend snapped him out of his thoughts to see the other trait staring at him with worry and, was that fear?

Oh. OH! He thought ROman was going to reject him! “Sorry my dark and stormy knight, I’m afraid I was merely caught off guard by such a passionate declaration!” Tension seemed to flee the room as he assured the two men that he was more than okay with their new relationship

“However, I do believe I may have to step on your moment just a bit, so as to make a declaration of my own.” Here goes everything. “I… I am- um I-” His voice cut off as he choked on a whimper, tears pooling in his eyes as his heart beat rapidly in fear. 

“I… I”m sorry.”

The three facets stared at him with worry. Patton stood up, walking over to where he was sitting and crouching in front of him, gripping his hands in his own soft and warm ones. “What are you sorry for, kiddo?”

Roman gripped Patton’s hands as though they were the only thing able to keep him from fleeing the scene. “I am afraid I have failed you all as well as Thomas.” 

A snort from across from him had his head shooting up to stare wide-eyed at the anxious trait in shock. “That’s hard to believe. Prince perfect failing something so bad that even I’m disappointed? That’s a high bar you’ve set for yourself there Princey.” Virgil smirked at him cockily, but Roman could see the concern shine through. Virgil was trying to distract him so that he could calm down.

“Well I do pride myself in being the best at everything, even if it’s at being the worst.” He let out a choked laugh as he took a moment to breathe and think of what he wanted to say. “I don’t believe I am capable of loving someone or anyone.” 

Patton brows furrowed at his words before he opened his mouth, most likely to offer some form of consolation, but Roman cut him off before he could. He had to do this now, before he could back out. “I… I’m aromantic. I do not feel romantic attraction to men or women or anyone of any gender or lack of gender. I believe I am also asexual.” Silence. His frame began to tremble as sobs built up in his chest.

“I’m sorry, I know it’s stupid. I’m Thomas’ creativity which means I am his romantic side and yet I can’t even fall in love-”

“Falsehood.” He froze, looking at Logan. “I apologize for interrupting but I can only stand for so much idiocy.” He flinched, looking down at his lap. “How could you be so stupid as to think-” Here it comes “-that you could not fall in love just because you do not feel romantic attraction. I mean obviously phrase fall in love is often referred to in a romantic sense, but when Patton falls in love with a tiny version of something, it is not because he wishes to begin a romantic relationship with it. Furthermore, I believe it has been proven many times that we often adopt traits of our own that show no sign of being a part of Thomas as a whole. “

Looking up he noticed everyone looking at him with kind smiles. “Besides kiddo, I don’t think it’s too far-fetched to say that the heart has enough love of it’s own to give, romantic or not. You don’t need to blame yourself for who you are. Especially when who you are is an amazing person with so much love and care for others, even if it’s strictly platonic and/or familial.”

As Patton spoke, Virgil rose from his spot next to Logan, advancing towards Roman with steady, confident steps. Upon reaching him, Virgil wrapped his arm around his shoulders, effectively enveloping him in a hug. 

Tears began to once more stream down his face, this time joined by a shaky smile. 

“Thank you.”

“Yeah, yeah, shut up and let us hug you so we can all go eat the cookies Patton stress-baked earlier today.” A squeak sounded from behind him causing Roman to giggle. 

Things would be okay. He would be okay.  



End file.
